Veyo bishop killed on S.R. 18 in head-on collision

WASHINGTON COUNTY — The bishop of the Veyo ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was killed Saturday morning when his small truck reportedly crossed the center line on state Route 18 and hit a semitractor-trailer head on.

A Veyo man was killed Saturday when his truck drifted over the center line on state Route 18 and struck a semi head-on. Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News

“Not sure why,” Mower said, “but the truck drifted over the center line and went head-on with the semi. It looks like the guy (in the pickup) was killed instantly. The semi driver did say that he saw the driver of the pickup laying across the seat to the right. Don’t know if he had dropped something and was trying to retrieve it, or if he was having a medical condition or if he was falling asleep. At this point we really don’t know. We’ll conduct our investigation and see if we can figure those things out and answer those questions.”

The semi driver was not hurt in the accident, although Mower said he was shaken up.

The driver of the pickup was identified by UHP Trooper Grant Hintze as 53-year-old Veyo resident Darrin Steve Ivie. The LDS Church’s website confirms that Ivie was the bishop of the Veyo ward. Ivie’s body had to be extricated from the wreckage by fire and medical personnel before it could be removed to a mortuary.

SR-18 was closed for almost three hours while investigation and clean-up occurred. Units from the Utah Highway Patrol, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Diamond Valley and Dammeron Valley fire departments and the Washington County Medical Examiner were called to the scene.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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A Veyo man was killed Saturday when his truck drifted over the center line on state Route 18 and struck a semi head-on. Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News

A Veyo man was killed Saturday when his truck drifted over the center line on state Route 18 and struck a semi head-on. Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News

A Veyo man was killed Saturday when his truck drifted over the center line on state Route 18 and struck a semi head-on. Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News

A Veyo man was killed Saturday when his truck drifted over the center line on state Route 18 and struck a semi head-on. Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News

A Veyo man was killed Saturday when his truck drifted over the center line on state Route 18 and struck a semi head-on. Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Tanner Volksen, St. George News

A Veyo man was killed Saturday when his truck drifted over the center line on state Route 18 and struck a semi head-on. Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Tanner Volksen, St. George News

A semitractor-trailer is badly damaged following a head-on collision on state Route 18, Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News

A pickup truck is badly damaged following a head-on collision on state Route 18, Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News

A Veyo man was killed when his truck drifted over the center line on state Route 18 and struck a semi head-on. Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2017 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News

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About the Author

"I wrote my first word when I was very young. I enjoyed this so much I decided to write many more words."
A native of Pacific Palisades, Calif., Ric was bitten by the news bug as a staff writer and associate editor of the Palisades High School Tideline. After school he entered the media as a radio personality, both playing music and reporting news. Ric moved to St. George in the 1980s and was the morning personality on all three major AM stations in town. An avid amateur radio operator, Ric is looking for a good band to play in, as he plays keyboards, bass and guitar. Ric lives in the center of St. George with his neurotic cat.

I sure hope he wasn’t going for his cell phone!!! Now a days that seems to be the norm for people, to reach for…
My thoughts and prayers are with his family… And with the semi truck driver too and his family…

Ugly crash,,,,, rte 18 is do bad now, more traffic, but every one gets do relax or whatever,, and reaching for something..not a good idea,, they can always check the cell phone time if it still works.. Wearing a seat belt ???

SR 18 is the worst as to being dangerous, you have auto traffic having to cross the double yellow because of “runners and Cyclists” being in the traffic lane, yet We, the taxpayers of the State, had to pay to build paved bike trails for walking and riding all along the SR 18 alongside Snow Canyon, so how about placing signage telling people to use the paved trails to ride or run? You’d get a better workout using the trails that the Highway anyway, but no, it’s all about you “being seen”….we’ll if I’m driving the SR 18, have oncoming traffic and you decide to cross in front of me? Guess what…you’ll be seen under my Car

There are a few self absorbed cyclists, but the problem is usually the vehicle driver. Keep in mind that virtually all of the cyclists are also drivers, so they get it. Bust most of the drivers are not cyclists, and therefore don’t see the whole picture.
The issue with the trails is that there are often pedestrians walking slowly and not paying attention. Sometimes they have small children or loose pets. Many times, they have earbuds in and don’t hear anything going on around them. Add bicycles riding at 25-45 mph on rolling hills and it’s a recipe for disaster. It’s much safer for the cyclists and the pedestrians if the cyclists are out on the road.